An up to 2-cm thick Chicxulub ejecta deposit marking the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary (the “K–T” boundary) was recovered in six holes drilled during ODP Leg 207 (Demerara Rise, tropical western Atlantic). Stunning features of this deposit are its uniformity over an area of 30 km
2 and the total absence of bioturbation, allowing documentation of the original sedimentary sequence. High-resolution
mineralogical,
petrological, elemental, isotopic (Sr–Nd), and rock magnetic data reveal a distinct microstratigraphy and a range of ejecta components. The deposit is normally graded and composed predominantly of rounded, 0.1- to max. 1-mm sized spherules. Spherules are altered to dioctahedral aluminous smectite, though occasionally relict Si–Al-rich hydrated glass is also present, suggesting acidic precursor lithologies. Spherule textures vary from hollow to vesicle-rich to massive; some show in situ collapse, others include distinct Fe–Mg–Ca–Ti-rich melt globules and lath-shaped Al-rich quench crystals. Both altered glass spherules and the clay matrix (Site 1259B) display strongly negative values (−17) indicating uptake of Nd from contemporaneous ocean water during alteration. Finally, Fe–Mg-rich spherules, shocked quartz and feldspar grains, few lithic clasts, as well as abundant accretionary and porous carbonate clasts are concentrated in the uppermost 0.5–0.7 mm of the deposit. The carbonate clasts display in part very unusual textures, which are interpreted to be of shock-metamorphic origin. The preservation of delicate spherule textures, normal grading with lack of evidence for traction transport, and sub-millimeter scale compositional trends provide evidence for this spherule deposit representing a primary air-fall deposit not affected by significant reworking.
The ODP Leg 207 spherule deposit is the first known dual-layer K–Pg boundary in marine settings; it incorporates compositional and stratigraphic aspects of both proximal and distal marine sites. Its stratigraphy strongly resembles the dual-layer K–Pg boundary deposits in the terrestrial Western Interior of North America (although there carbonate phases are not preserved). The occurrence of a dual ejecta layer in these quite different sedimentary environments – separated by several thousands of kilometers – provides additional evidence for an original sedimentary sequence. Therefore, the layered nature of the deposit may document compositional differences between ballistic Chicxulub ejecta forming the majority of the spherule deposit, and material falling out from the vapor (ejecta) plume, which is concentrated in the uppermost part.
